Inner and Outer Strength
by sakurai-pyon
Summary: Akane has completed her training so now she is set out on a new challenge: the Hunter Exam. There, she meets Killua. She soon learns that Killua is as competitive as she is and the two are always fighting against each other. Killua learns what losing feels like because, Akane is no ordinary girl. Where will their story take us? KilluaXOC Please read and review
1. Chapter 1

**Sakurai: WELCOME TO THE NEW STORY! INNER AND OUTER STRENGTH!**

**Killua: Welcome!**

**Gon: I hope you enjoy it!**

**Sakurai: I do not own HxH or any of the characters!**

**Gon: Time for the story!**

_Akane's PoV_

"BYE MOM! LOVE YOU!" I called to my mom as I threw my jacket on and ran out the door. "Love you too!" I heard her respond as I was halfway down the dirt pathway leading to the village.

I walked about two miles before a knife came whizzing past me and stuck into a tree about three inches from my face. I let out a small sigh before turning to the direction that the knife came from. "You're getting more predictable, Kai." I said to the boy emerging from behind the trees.

"No I'm not." Kai said, grabbing the knife and replacing it in his pocket. "You just know me too well."

I rolled my eyes and continued walking towards the village. Kai skipped next to me, examining a smaller knife that he pulled from his shoe. "So, are you happy that Master said you were finished with training?"

'Sigh, I guess."

"That's it? If it were me I would be jumping for joy. I mean all that hard work, all those early mornings, to be finished with it all would be great."

"Yeah, being able to sleep in is fantastic, but now that I'm finished with training, I feel like I have nothing to do with my life."

"Maybe you can start to go on missions!"

"No, I already asked Master about that, but you have to be at least 15 years old to start going on missions."

"So… you have three years till then. What do you think you can do?"

"I don't really know."

We reached the village, where Kai found a group of friends then waved me goodbye, and I went straight for the meat cart; they always sell out first. I was looking at a chicken walking around a small wooden pen when I felt someone tap on my shoulder.

I turned around to see an extremely tall, wrinkly man in a Kimono and with a long head of thick orange hair that reached his ankles. In short, he was a pretty hard to miss figure. "Master!" I exclaimed.

"Hello, Akane. How are you?" He said with a smile. He joined me at the meat cart and told the man that he wanted a pound of the pig hanging above us.

"I'm good." I said, handing the meat-cart-man the money for the chicken. "Pretty bored."

"Hmm… I thought you might say that." He said with an I-know-something-you-don't smile. "Come to the temple at noon."

I stood there confused as he walked away. The man gave me the beheaded chicken in a bag and I continued with the rest of my errands. I got the spices and paper and a new pair of hiking boots. They were black and leathery with buckles on the outsides. There was a small pocket on the inside of each that I knew would come in handy in the future.

By the time I had bought everything I needed to and walked the two and a half miles back home, it was almost noon. I handed the groceries to mom and started up the mountain leading to the temple.

I learned everything I needed to know about life, fighting, and survival from Master in the Temple. I was hard work, but it was also very fun. Completing the training also gave pride to my shamed family name.

"Hey Akane!" I heard a voice from my left shout. "What are you doing here? Miss me that much?"

I turned to see Kai hanging upside down from a tree with pots full of water under him and above him. His feet were tied to the top to prevent him from falling. I remember this training exercise. You had to take the water from the pots under you and put it in the pots over you. Once you had completed that, you had to get the water back to the pots under you. The only thing you could use to transport the water was a small teaspoon and the pots were at least four of five gallons.

"Hey Kai." I responded with a wave. "Master said he wanted to talk to me about something."

Kai nodded and then went back to transporting the water. "Good Luck!" I called as I continued up the mountain. I looked at the familiar scenery. It had only been a week since _I_ was the one doing the training exercises on this mountain, on these trees.

I reached the Temple and called out for Master. "I'm in the meditation room." Came a soft reply. "And please Akane, will you learn to keep your voice down?"

I smiled at Master's usual request as I walked into the room and sat down. "You wanted to talk to me Master?"

"Yes, I have something for you to occupy your time with."

"Really? Is it a mission?"

"Not quite."

"Then what is it?"

"An examina-"

"NO THANK YOU!"

"You didn't let me finish Akane. And keep your voice down."

"But Master, I hate tests!"

"This is a different kind of test than you think. It will be fun."

"What kind of test is fun!"

"The Hunter exam."

"Hunter exam… I think I've heard of that."

Master stood up and picked up a flyer off a nearby dresser. He put it on the floor in front of me and I studied it curiously. It told about an airship to the hunter exam site. From what I know, hunters are like warriors that can be specialized with a special skill.

"So, are you interested?" Master asked folding his arms over his chest.

"Do you think I'm good enough to be a hunter?"

"Absolutely. You are the strongest fighter in our village Akane. Someday soon, with more experience, you will surpass even me."

"But Master,"

"Akane. I am not one to give out unearned praises. When I say you are strong enough, you are strong enough."

"I'll take the Hunter exam Master."

~~~ A FEW DAYS LATER~~~

"Be safe Akane. Please be safe." My mother said, hovering over me as I put on my boots.

"Don't worry about me mom." I said, giving her a hug goodbye. "Worry more about yourself. Don't let anyone push you around okay."

"I'll do my best. Good Luck."

I was almost out the door when mom pushed something into my hand. "It was your grandmothers." She said as she closed the door. "Wear it with pride."

I turned away from the closed door which my mother was no doubt crying behind and opened my palm. In it I saw a note and small blue pendant, in the shape of a teardrop. It was made of a shiny metal-like substance. I put it around my neck then turned to the letter. On the outside I read," Do not open until in times of trouble."

I shrugged and put the letter in my pocket, unhappy that I wasn't supposed to open the letter. I started walking down the street.

I wore my black hiking boots and black shorts. I wore a plain blue T-Shirt and a faded black zippered hoodie over it. On the inside of the hoodie were a few pockets that I had filled to the brim with money, snacks, and a few other necessary items.

I reached the village and was about to board a taxi carriage before a voice stopped me. "Good Luck Akane." Master said behind me. I turned to him and nodded with a smile before getting in the carriage.

I sat down in the seat, tolf the driver where I was headed, and smiled out the window. I started to shake a little with aniticipation. "Here I come, Hunter Exam!"

~~~A few hours later~~~

I stepped off of the carriage, thanked and paid the driver, and looked at the sign ahead of me.

"TO ALL HUNTER EXAM PARTICIPANTS: Welcome! Please make your way to the airship. First, please find your way to the end of this maze. Please note that if you make a wrong turn, you will have to start the maze over again. You have 20 tries. The airship will depart without you if you have not completed the maze in time. Good Luck."

I looked at the Brick tunnel-like thing in front of me. And took in a small breath. 'piece of cake.' I thought to myself before entering.

**Sakurai: End of Chapter 1.**

**Please read and review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sakurai: Hey again!**

**Gon: Hi!**

**Sakurai: Time for the next chapter of Inner and Outer Strength!**

**Gon: I'm so excited to read it!**

**Sakurai: I do not own HxH or any of the characters!**

**Gon: All rights to Akane!**

Akane's PoV

I walked into the maze and barely went two steps before I had to make a choice. The walls around me split into two sides. I peeked down each side, but only saw more turns ahead. I took a breath and walked calmly down the right side, following my instincts.

~~~A Few Minutes Later~~~

"Well, that wasn't so hard." I said to myself as I exited the maze. I looked around and saw many large men with bulging muscles sitting nearby. A few looked up at me, but most of them just ignored me completely.

"Hmm… are you in the right place young lady?" An elderly woman standing to my right said. She looked to be about 100 years old and ready to fall over and die at any time. I shook my head and turned back towards the men. Then she grabbed my elbow gently with her long bony fingers and led me a few feet out of earshot of the others.

"What is your name child?" She said smiling despite the fact that I obviously didn't want to be talking to her.

"Akane." I answered curtly.

"Shanyu told me you would be coming." She said nodding approvingly.

"Master did?" I asked incredulously, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Yes. I am an old friend of his. He wanted me to give this letter to you once you had gotten this far."

She held out a small white envelope. I took it from her and immediately ripped it open. I excitedly pulled out the letter and unfolded it, staring at it with eager eyes. It read,

"Akane, since you are reading this, you have made it through the maze and are waiting to board the airship taking you to the Hunter Exam. I have a few things to tell you. First, I hope you do your best. Second, be very careful. You are going to meet new kinds of people and fighting styles that you are used to. There will be many who are weaker than you, but there are also many who are stronger than you. You must always be aware of your surroundings and always be on alert. People don't always play fair in the real world and will use any means to get what they want. Third, don't show your true strength right away. Let people underestimate you. Fourth, find allies. Friends and allies are an imperative part of survival in the world and the Hunter Exam is a perfect place to learn how to make some. Choose wisely and don't judge people on appearances, for, people are not always what they seem. Fifth and last, pay attention to the skills that you have not yet mastered and perfect them. If there is something that you don't know much about, learn everything about it as quickly as you can. Akane, I wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing you again, with a Hunter License. From your faithful Master."

I read and reread the letter, memorizing everything. After I was sure I knew it word for word, I folded it and put it in the zippered pocket in my boot, next to the letter from my mother. A few moments later a heard a faint whirr in the air. I looked at the sky and saw nothing at first, but once I looked closer, squinting my eyes, I saw the airship.

Once I saw it, it seemed impossible to miss, especially after it got closer and closer. Finally, it landed on the ground a few meters away from the group of people. I realized that more people had appeared in the time that I had been reading the letter.

After boarding the ship I looked around and studied the group of people. None of them interested me in the slightest. Each of them looked like they had big muscles and small brains.

"Hey girly, did you get lost on the way home to mommy and daddy." An especially large man said in a mocking voice. I ignored him but that didn't stop him from continuing.

"Shouldn't you just go home and play with your little dollies!" He started cackling, like what he said was the funniest thing in the world. I clenched my fists in anger, but continued to ignore him.

"The Hunter Exam is no place for a little girl like you."

I wanted more than anything to just punch him in the face and shut him up, but I remembered what Master had wrote: "Don't show anyone your true strength." Instead I looked up at him innocently.

"Maybe you're right," I said, making my voice an octave or two higher than usual. "I'm going to go ask the captain if he will take me back home."

With that, I stood and walked away. I looked back as I was about to turn the corner of the hall and saw him standing there with a triumphant smile plastered on his face. "_Idiots."_ I said whispered to myself.

~~~Later~~~

I walked through an unknown town, following the small map the captain had given us as we departed the airship. As far as I knew, they all headed to the same place, but took each person a different route.

Once we got to the restaurant, we were instructed to order a steak, medium rare, cooked under a low flame. _At least we're getting a meal out of this."_ I thought to myself as I heard my stomach grumble.

I followed the map down a few more streets before getting to the restaurant. I walked inside and ordered what I was told to. "Follow me to the back room." The waitress behind the counter told me, picking up a menu and walking past me.

I followed her cautiously through the door and down a short hallway. She opened another door and I walked inside the elevator-like room. She nodded at me and handed me a pin with the number 136 on it.

Smiling, she stepped back as the doors shut and the elevator began moving down. With a sad realization, I knew that I wasn't going to get any food. The doors behind me clicked open and I walked into the stuffy room. From the smell, I could easily say that it was underground.

I walked over to a wall and leaned on it, looking at the hundred-or-so people gathered in the large room. Most of the men were like the one's I had seen on the airship: big muscles, small brains, and carrying large weapons.

I almost didn't see the boy with the white hair because he was standing there so still and quietly. He was about the same age as me, but was emitting a dangerous feeling.

"Hey there. You must be new."

I looked up to see who was talking to me and saw a short, chubby man with a large nose.

"I'm Tompa." He continued merrily. "Nice to meet you."

"I'm Akane. How'd you know that I was new?"

"I'm a Hunter Exam veteran. Taken this many many times before." He folded his arms proudly over his round chest and looked at me, waiting for a response.

"Wow! Really?" I said, painfully faking the enthusiasm. "Are there any tips you could give me?"

"It's good to have a lot of energy." He said, rummaging through his pockets. "Try this energy drink."

I took the can from his hands and as I raised it to my mouth and started to drink I tasted the distinct flavor of a laxative. Too bad laxatives and poisons don't work on me. I chugged the whole thing and thanked Tompa before he went onto his next victim.

I slumped against the wall again and noticed the white haired boy staring at me. "What?" I asked, wiping my mouth. "Is there something on my face?"

He stood up and walked over to me. "You knew that was a laxative didn't you?"

"Yeah, so?"

He shrugged and walked over to Tompa. With a quick, but challenging, glance in my direction, he got two cans of the juice and drank them quickly. Sensing I was being challenged, I walked next to him and asked Tompa for three cans of juice.

Killua narrowed his eyes at me while I quickly opened and drank all three. Once I finished I put the cans on the ground with a satisfied sigh. As I was putting down the last one, I heard the boy ask for _four_ cans. Tompa handed them over and I asked for the same.

Soon we were in an intense battle, asking for at least 10 cans of juice at a time. How many of these things did Tompa have anyway? With every can I drank, the boy was able to drink the same amount. I was getting more and more aggravated.

Killua's PoV

Why won't this girl just give up? I began drinking two cans of juice at a time. She began to do the same. We were so involved with our little battle that the sudden ringing of the alarm made us jump about two feet in the air.

With an annoyed glare in my direction, the girl turned and stalked away. I looked around and was surprised to see how many more people had gathered without me noticing. I noticed another boy about my age talking to an old guy and someone who might be a girl or a guy.

I heard someone start talking to the crowd so I walked in the direction of their voice. "Hello and welcome to the Hunter Exam. I will be you first examiner."

I got closer and saw a man in a purple suit. He had no mouth so I stared at the place that it was supposed to be and tried to figure out where the sound of his voice was coming from.

"The first stage of the exam will be an endurance test. You will follow me to the site of the second stage. Let us get going then."

To my right I saw the girl from before. She smirked at me in a challenging way and I smirked back as if to say, "You're on."

When the examiner in front of us began to run I hopped on my skateboard and began the race. The girl came right next to me and whispered, "Cheater," In a playful way, then disappeared into the group of people following behind. I smiled to myself thinking, "maybe this won't be as boring as I thought it would be."

**Sakurai: Tada! Chapter two done!**

**Please read and review!**


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